Apple and NBC Universal close to iTunes UK deal

NBC Universal is close to signing a deal to sell TV shows through iTunes in the UK, C21 magazine is reporting.

The move would mark the debut of TV video downloads through Apple's iTunes Music Store overseas. iTunes customers in the United States have been offered this option since last October and have download around 12 million episodes to date.

According to the report, NBC is planning to test the waters with a select number of sci-fi series -- one of the most popular genres with US iTunes customers. Candidates are reported to include Battlestar Galactica, Surface and Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

A spokesman for Apple said the company had "no new news" to report on its iTunes download service.

Good news. This should keep the pressure on CBS, Sony, etc., to join the pack.

Reading the story on Think Secret yesterday about the iTunes film rights negotiations, I'm a little confused about who controls the iTunes distribution rights to film and TV content. Considering the content we've seen from Disney/ABC and Universal/NBC so far, I assumed the big seven studios controlled almost all of the film and TV content that they produced.

The Think Secret article indicated that Starz and HBO owned the digital distribution rights to most films. I'm not sure if that's accurate. I assume that when Starz, HBO, TCM, Showtime, etc., have rights to a film, the rights are for a certain period of time and are exclusive of other networks.

Are the pay cable deals so favorable to the cable networks that the cable networks effectively have veto on other digital distribution? That just sounds fuzzy to me.

Originally posted by Frank777Why go across the pond when Canadians are yet to be served?

Given NAFTA, isn't it well past time that North America is licensed as a bloc?

NAFTA, good one!

If I were Canadian I'd get a US addressed credit card to save a ton off all my stuff, access iTunes movies and basically save enough cash to relocate entirely!

Only kidding. Canada may be a bit of a rip off in some ways, but just like Britain it has free healthcare (exceptions apply) and basically a different "social contract" between the people and the government.

Reversing out of politics for s moment, I'd propose that Britain being catered before Canada for a change comes down to the fact there's more of us and videos sell like crazy here on every format.

I really thought that Apple would have realised that the launch of AppleTV would need them to provide the counties that its launched in with TV content for the iTunes store, otherwise, what's the point in buying it?

I love everything mac, but sometimes wonder about their K-razy policies regarding world domination of quicktime and iTunes - i.e. not letting it play wmv files etc, because if it is made more open, then it is more usable, espescially in the education environment, where everything is PC based in the majority of UK schools...

Make the mac the platform of the professional and iTunes the and AppleTV the platform of the way we watch and buy multi-media content in the future... Bring it on UK stylee

I really thought that Apple would have realised that the launch of AppleTV would need them to provide the counties that its launched in with TV content for the iTunes store, otherwise, what's the point in buying it?

I love everything mac, but sometimes wonder about their K-razy policies regarding world domination of quicktime and iTunes - i.e. not letting it play wmv files etc, because if it is made more open, then it is more usable, espescially in the education environment, where everything is PC based in the majority of UK schools...

Make the mac the platform of the professional and iTunes the and AppleTV the platform of the way we watch and buy multi-media content in the future... Bring it on UK stylee

What's really funny is the date this article was conceived; Friday, March 3, 2006. Yet still no movement with TV shows in Europe, or movies. Don't get me started on their store situation.